Should We Have Cloned Lonesome George?

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The recent death of Lonesome George, the famed Galapagos tortoise
believed to be the last representative of his subspecies, has
many experts wondering how we should try to save other endangered
and at-risk animals.

Cloning is one option. While cloning methods for reptiles are not
as advanced as those for mammals, scientists also say they face
other incredible obstacles.

“At the most, I could envision one male turtle of this subspecies
cloned in future or maybe two males, but where are you going to
get a female?” asked Martha Gomez, a senior scientist with the
Audubon Nature Institute, which has one of the world’s few
“frozen zoos.”

Frozen Zoos stockpile biological materials from a wide variety of
rare and critically endangered species. The biological material
is usually composed of gametes (sperm and egg cells), embryos,
tissue samples, serum and other items. Together, they represent a
bank vault of irreplaceable genetic information that can be
preserved for possibly hundreds of years or more. In most cases,
the materials are stored in holding tanks filled with liquid
nitrogen.

Oliver Ryder, director of genetics at the San Diego Zoo, spoke to
Discovery News as his team was racing to the Galapagos Islands to
help preserve the tissues of Lonesome George. The San Diego Zoo
operates one of the other few frozen zoos.

“This is an extremely urgent matter,” Ryder said. “We had planned
to meet in the Galapagos in two weeks to discuss preservation of
the tortoises there. It is a bitter irony that Lonesome George
died before we could even finish setting up the plans. It
underscores the importance of preserving such animals.”

“We are facing some logistical problems now, but we don’t want to
look back with ‘what if’s,’” he added. “This may be the only
chance we’ll have to preserve, document and study this tortoise
subspecies.”

Ryder believes discussions of cloning Lonesome George are
premature at this point. Before that takes place, he thinks more
must be learned about this particular tortoise’s physiology and
reproduction. Studying Lonesome George’s remains may also help to
reveal how tortoises often live to advanced ages, information
that could one day lead to breakthroughs in extending human
lifespans.

For cloning, researchers are focusing more on “species where we
have detailed knowledge of their reproductive biology,” Ryder
said. That is one reason why cats, dogs and mice were among the
first animals to be cloned. Scientists are now working to clone
endangered relatives of such animals, in hopes of releasing those
individuals into the wild to strengthen natural populations.

Earlier this year, Gomez and her colleagues successfully cloned
endangered black-footed cats. An endangered wild ox, called a
gaur, and a banteng (wild cattle) have also been successfully
cloned. Work is underway to clone and otherwise increase the
population of Sumatran rhinos, which presently number only about
200-300 in the wild.

While one healthy clone is an interesting novelty, clones must
also be able to reproduce in order to be fully successful. Gomez
said that kittens of cloned wild cat parents have died “due to
problems with nuclear programing,” but some normal kittens have
resulted and continue to thrive.

Both she and Ryder say that there is no international policy
calling for cloning and preservation of highly endangered
species. Instead, isolated facilities and the work of dedicated
individuals are responsible for the successes.

“The effort needs to be more widespread and organized,” Gomez
said.

Through published papers and talks, Ryder and his colleagues have
repeatedly called for an organized global effort. It would need
an “overarching international body” on par with UNESCO, he
believes.

“The first step is saving tissue samples, as we’re in the process
of doing for Lonesome George,” he said. “But we who are among the
forefront would like to train others to establish frozen zoo
biobanks in other countries.”

“I am confident that one day such an international structure will
come together, bringing in other conservation work, such as
preserving habitat,” Ryder concluded. “It’s poignant to lose a
subspecies like that of Lonesome George. People in the future
will be looking back at us, wondering why we didn’t act sooner.”